What red flags should I watch for in Commis Chef interviews?

Watch for resistance to feedback, poor safety awareness, unrealistic expectations, and negative attitude toward basic tasks whilst looking for inconsistent work history and inability to follow instructions. Identify early warning signs that predict training difficulties and integration problems.

Common misunderstanding: Focusing on technical deficiencies

Many hiring managers focus on technical problems instead of recognising that attitude issues, safety disregard, and learning resistance create bigger problems than skill gaps that can be fixed through proper training and development programmes.

Let's say you are evaluating a commis chef candidate who has weak knife skills but shows excellent attitude towards learning from senior chefs, while another has good technical skills but poor safety practices and resistance to feedback. The candidate with good attitude but weak skills will likely develop better than the skilled candidate with attitude problems.

Common misunderstanding: Overlooking subtle warning signs during interviews

Some managers miss subtle warning signs during interviews. They don't identify early signs of training difficulties, team integration problems, and development challenges that become expensive issues after hiring decisions.

Let's say you are interviewing a commis chef candidate who shows small signs of impatience when receiving feedback, makes excuses for basic mistakes, or speaks negatively about previous supervisors. These subtle red flags often predict bigger problems with training and working under senior kitchen staff.

What attitude problems disqualify Commis Chef candidates?

Avoid candidates showing arrogance about limited experience, unwillingness to perform basic prep work, disrespect for hierarchy, or resistance to training and development feedback. Focus on professional attitude essential for entry-level learning positions.

Common misunderstanding: Excusing attitude issues as confidence

Hiring managers sometimes excuse attitude issues as confidence. They don't recognise that arrogance, avoiding tasks, and disrespecting hierarchy greatly affect training success and team dynamics in structured development programmes that need humility and openness.

Let's say you are interviewing a commis chef candidate who displays overconfidence about their limited experience, dismisses basic prep work as beneath them, or shows reluctance to follow instructions from senior chefs. These attitude issues will create serious problems during training and daily kitchen operations.

Common misunderstanding: Missing unrealistic expectations

Some managers miss unrealistic expectations about advancement timeline, responsibility level, and learning investment that show poor understanding of commis chef role requirements and development process needed for successful cooking training.

Let's say you are interviewing a commis chef candidate who expects to be promoted to senior positions within months, wants immediate access to advanced cooking techniques, or shows impatience with basic skill development under supervision from experienced kitchen staff.

How do I identify safety concerns in Commis Chef candidates?

Watch for poor hygiene practices, casual attitude toward food safety, unsafe knife handling, and disregard for kitchen safety protocols during practical assessment. Prioritise safety awareness as non-negotiable requirement for kitchen employment.

Common misunderstanding: Overlooking minor safety lapses

Hiring managers sometimes ignore small safety mistakes. They don't realise that casual safety attitude, poor hygiene habits, and ignoring protocols create serious operational risks and liability issues that cannot be properly fixed through training alone.

Let's say you are observing a commis chef candidate during practical trials who touches raw chicken then vegetables without washing hands, uses the same cutting board for both, or shows casual attitude towards temperature control. These safety lapses predict bigger problems that will compromise kitchen standards.

Common misunderstanding: Assuming safety training can correct fundamental safety disregard

Some managers think safety training can fix basic safety disregard. They don't understand that genuine safety awareness and respect for protocols are essential requirements for kitchen work that must be shown during assessment rather than developed after hiring.

Let's say you are considering a commis chef candidate who consistently shows poor food safety practices during trials but assume you can train them properly later. Fundamental safety disregard indicates deeper attitude issues that won't be resolved through standard training with senior kitchen staff.